


Superhuman

by wanderingsilverangel



Series: NCT Oneshots [6]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Blood and Injury, Blow Jobs, Dance Instructor Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, M/M, Mafia Boss Lee Taeyong, Nurse Kim Dongyoung | Doyoung, Police Officer Suh Youngho | Johnny, Polyamory, Violence, not two tags I ever thought I'd put consecutively
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:41:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24560104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wanderingsilverangel/pseuds/wanderingsilverangel
Summary: Taeyong never thought they'd be able to make it work. After all, they clashed in so many ways. But despite their differences, they made their relationship work. And they were all happy together.Until they weren't.
Relationships: Lee Taeyong/Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Suh Youngho | Johnny, Mentioned Nakamoto Yuta/Dong Sicheng | Win Win
Series: NCT Oneshots [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1255811
Kudos: 29





	Superhuman

Johnny often wondered how he managed to get himself into such situations. 

In front of him, three of his friends from work, Sehun, Jongin, and Kyungsoo, were sprawled across his living room. In the kitchen, Taeyong, his boyfriend was pattering around cooking for the three of them. Or Johnny assumed it was just for the three of them, he was relatively certain his friends would be gone by then. 

“You’re so lucky,” Sehun’s voice pulled Johnny back to the conversation at hand. Johnny raised an eyebrow. “You don’t have a late shift this week. I have it _twice.”_

“It’s ‘cause you pissed off Junmyeon, moron,” Kyungsoo said. Jongin and Johnny burst into laughter. Kyungsoo was right, of course. Sehun had been whining about boring tasks he’d been given so Junmyeon decided to give him a more “exciting” task. 

“Hey, Hyung,” Taeyong called, padding into the living room. Wearing a purple sweatshirt and shorts, both of which Johnny was relatively certain are Ten’s, Johnny couldn’t see the revered mafia boss that had been on the wanted wall of the police force since before Johnny started working there. Of course, they didn’t know Taeyong’s name or appearance, but the point still stood that Taeyong looked downright cuddly in his attire and as non-mafia boss as one could get. 

“What’s up, Yong?” Johnny craned his neck to look at Taeyong as he walked around the couch. 

“Did Ten tell you when he was getting home?”

“Nope. He never does though. You might want to call him, make sure he didn’t forget that you were cooking tonight.” Taeyong nodded before returning to the kitchen. 

“Ten’s a dancer, right?” Jongin asked. Johnny nodded. “I should talk to him about it sometime. I did dance all through high school and college.”

“I’m sure he’d enjoy that. He can’t really talk to Taeyong and I about it since neither of us know anything about dance.” Johnny snorted. Imagining himself dancing was like imagining Ten eating fruits with a smile on his face. Neither was ever gonna happen. 

Fifteen minutes later, Ten walked through the door. Johnny turned his head to greet him, noting the exhausted look on his face. Ten kicked his shoes off and dropped his bag by the door (Taeyong would throw a fit about that later). He collapsed on the couch, his head falling in Johnny’s lap. Johnny automatically ran his fingers through Ten’s hair in the way he likes. 

“Long day?” Ten nodded turning so he could look up at Johnny, his eyes tired but still carrying his usual playful sparkle. 

Johnny continued to run his fingers through Ten’s hair as he continued his conversation with Sehun about the state of the city of Seoul. Jongin started up a conversation with Ten about dance, probing the youngest about his experiences. 

“Hey, dinner’s ready. You guys are welcome to stay, there should be enough to go around,” Taeyong announced. The three smiled and readily accepted the invitation. Johnny didn’t blame them, no one in their right mind should ever turn down Taeyong’s cooking. On the other hand, if you want to keep your food in your stomach you should always turn down Johnny’s. 

“How was work today, Tae-Hyung?” Ten asked as they all settled down. 

“Boring as ever. I’m just glad I could take off early today.”

“What do you do, Taeyong?” Kyungsoo asked. 

“Finance stuff for some companies. It’s incredibly boring but it was what my family wanted. Luckily, I have hobbies and friends that distract from my work.” Johnny couldn’t help but let out an inaudible sigh of relief. He tended to get fidgety when Taeyong’s work was brought up. Johnny was probably a bad cop for not turning Taeyong in but he loved him too much to. 

Dinner finished smoothly with no more questions about work. Though, Johnny was relatively sure that he heard Jongin and Ten continuing their conversation about Ten’s dance teacher position. 

Soon enough, Johnny’s friends were leaving and Johnny couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief. He loved his friends but he really didn’t need them finding out about Taeyong. He didn’t need a repeat of Taeyong coming in bloody while Jongdae had been over for drinks. (Taeyong had been fine and the blood hadn’t been his, but Taeyong hat to put on quite the show of being distraught. Jongdae left not long after and Taeyong dropped the act informing Johnny that it had been a rough day at work.)

Ten jumped in the shower as soon as they left, seemingly eager to wash off the day’s sweat. Taeyong flashed Johnny a mischievous smirk before following him. Johnny shook his head. Taeyong was just as bad as Ten when it came to sex. The pair had an insatiable sex drive. 

Sure enough, when Johnny walked into their bedroom to change, he could hear Ten’s high pitched keen coming from the bathroom. Chuckling, Johnny walked in to see Ten pressed against the wall by Taeyong who had two fingers in Ten’s ass and his mouth on his dick. Ten’s fingers curled into Taeyong’s hair as he threw his head back. 

Johnny smirked and sat on the toilet to watch. As much as he enjoyed participating, Johnny loved watching Taeyong take Ten apart, piece by piece. Ten’s grip tightened when he noticed Johnny, squeezing his eyes tight and groaning. Even with a dick in his mouth, Johnny could see the smug smirk across Taeyong’s face. 

Ten came minutes later with a high-pitched wail, sliding to the shower floor as Taeyong pulled away. He was panting with a smile plastered to his face. Taeyong kissed Ten sweetly and ran fingers through his wet hair before turning his attention to Johnny. 

Taeyong knelt down in between Johnny’s legs, pulling his sweatpants down his legs and taking his dick in his mouth. Taeyong’s mouth was sinful, and Johnny was groaning in seconds. He buried his hand in Taeyong’s hair and Taeyong let his mouth go slack, a silent invitation to fuck his mouth. Johnny easily took the opportunity and came within minutes. 

Taeyong pulled back, wiping his mouth as he swallowed. Taeyong was still hard, despite having sucked off both Johnny and Ten. 

“I think we should repay the favor. What do you think, Tennie?” Johnny asked, tilting Taeyong’s face up so he could press a kiss to swollen lips. 

“I think that’s a great idea.”

“You have another one in you?” 

Ten scoffed. “Do you?”

“Of course,” Johnny said as he threw a giggling Taeyong over his shoulder. 

**\- - -**

An ache settled into Taeyong’s bones as he finished the longest day of his entire life. The world seemed especially eager to screw him over today. First, he woke up to find both of his boyfriends were already gone, Ten having an early dance practice and Johnny being called into work sooner than expected. Then, he went to work to find that several important files had been misplaced and it took over an hour to find them (he tried not to be too hard on poor Sicheng, the boy was new to this). At lunch, someone had attempted to kill him (this part was relatively normal but still annoying) and the list goes on, and on, and on ending with the fact that it was eleven at night and Taeyong was only just getting home. 

The door of his apartment sent a flood of relief through Taeyong. He could finally relax, maybe take a bath for his sore muscles. Glancing around, something seemed off. Taeyong tried to tell himself that it was nothing but the silence was unnerving. It was too quiet for Ten and Johnny to be home, the two tending to bicker like cats and dogs (which oddly enough, fit them perfectly given that Ten was the personification of a cat and Johnny radiated the energy of a happy-go-lucky golden retriever). Taeyong clamped down the fear because he was on edge and tired but despite these mental reassurances, Taeyong’s hand still drifted to the gun holstered at his hip. 

Taeyong pulled his key out and stuck it in the lock. His breath caught in his throat when there was no resistance. Ten and Johnny would never leave the door unlocked, they know better than that. They knew what his job is like and frankly, Johnny’s job wasn’t much safer when it came to grudges. Taeyong checked the hallway before pulling his gun out of his holster. He gritted his teeth before pushing the door open. 

He cleared the living room before taking in the state of the room. Their usually immaculate apartment was in complete disarray. Their coffee table was broken, one of the chairs overturned, and a vase broken on the ground. Books were on the floor, one of the shelves of the bookshelf broken as though someone had been thrown into it. 

All of this paled in comparison to his boyfriend lying on the ground with blood trailed down his face. He rushed to him, quickly checking his pulse. He sighed in relief when he found it, albeit being weak. He quickly checked him for life-threatening injuries, standing up when he found none. 

Taeyong quickly cleared the rest of their apartment. The apartment only had two bedrooms and a bathroom despite it being for three people—Fuck. Three people. Taeyong stopped dead in his tracks. _Where the fuck is Ten?_

He moved through the entire apartment again, calling Ten’s name softly in case he was hiding somewhere. Taeyong tried to push down the panic bubbling in his chest. Ten might’ve been at the store and though Taeyong didn’t like the idea of him going out on his own, he’d prefer it to the alternative. 

Taeyong turned his attention back to Johnny who was beginning to wake up. He groaned and tried to sit up. Taeyong pushed his shoulders back down, forcing him to lay back down. 

“Hey, Hyung.” Taeyong ran a hand through Johnny’s blood-soaked hair. “How are you feeling?” 

“Tired,” Johnny said, his eyes threatening to close. 

“Hey, you can’t go to sleep yet, Hyung. I’m going to call Dongyoung but first, where’s Tennie? Is he at the store or something?” 

At their youngest boyfriend’s name, Johnny’s eyes snap open. He looked at Taeyong with something akin to panic in his eyes. 

“He’s not here?” Johnny rasped. Taeyong shook his head. Johnny let his head fall back to the ground with a dull thud. A tear slipped down his cheek. “I failed him, Yong. He took him and I couldn’t protect him. God, what kind of boyfriend am I?”

“A very good one. This isn’t your fault, okay?” Taeyong pulled Johnny closer, resting his head in his lap. 

“Yong, what the fuck do we do?” Taeyong sucked in a sharp breath, wishing he knew the correct answer to that. 

“For now, we stay calm and make sure you’re okay. At the moment, we can’t do anything for Tennie but we will find him.” Sitting around and waiting would drive him insane but it was the only course of action they had for the time being. Finding Ten was important, but Taeyong’s first priority was Johnny. He couldn’t lose him too. “I’m going to go call Dongyoung. If you even attempt to get up, I will shoot you in the leg.” 

Johnny snorted. “Yes, a mafia boss shooting a cop in the leg is the absolute smartest thing you could do.” 

Taeyong rolled his eyes before standing up to grab his phone from the jacket he’d dumped by the door. Dread pooled in Taeyong’s stomach as he dialed Dongyoung’s number. The barbed nurse would likely murder him for waking him up at eleven at night but Taeyong didn’t have many other choices. 

“What the fuck do you want, Taeyong?” Dongyoung spat groggily, “I know you have your whole sleep-is-for-the-weak thing going on but others, namely me, like to be able to function as human beings.” 

“Sorry, Dongyoung. I need you to come over,” Taeyong said. Dongyoung groaned and Taeyong heard rustling sheets on his end. 

“Why?”

“Possible medical emergency.”

“From what?”

“I don’t want to explain over the phone.” 

Dongyoung groaned but after a few moments, Taeyong heard a quiet, “Fine,” before the line went dead. Taeyong sighed before sitting back beside Johnny. 

“I’m so sorry, Yong. This is my fault.” Taeyong sighed. He didn’t want to put the blame on Johnny but it was the eldest’s duty to protect Ten when Taeyong wasn’t there. Ten was the only one of them who didn’t know how to protect himself. While he was a firecracker of energy and had a tongue as sharp as a whip, he wasn’t trained to use a gun or fight in any manner. It had been Johnny’s responsibility to make sure nothing happened to Ten. 

“It’s not your fault, Hyung. It’s the bastard to who took him’s fault. Don’t blame yourself okay? I need you at the top of your game if we’re going to find Ten.” Johnny nodded before throwing his arm over his eyes, attempting to mask the tears that had begun to fall. But he couldn’t hide the way his chest shook with every breath. Taeyong placed a gentle hand on Johnny’s arm. “We’ll find him. I won’t rest until we do.” 

A knock at the door startled them both. Taeyong pulled his gun out and pointed it at the door before calling out that it was open. The door opened and Dongyoung walked in, a scowl on his face. 

“You better get that gun out of my face and tell me what the fuck is going on or so help me, Lee Taeyong,” Dongyoung growled. He hefted the bag on his shoulder before kneeling beside Johnny. 

“Ten has been kidnapped and Johnny might have a concussion.” Dongyoung’s head snapped up and he narrowed his eyes at Taeyong. 

“The fuck do you mean kidnapped? How the fuck could someone kidnap him? He’s the boyfriend of the boss of one of the biggest mafias in South Korea.” Dongyoung busied himself with examining Johnny’s head. 

“Exactly what I said. Now could you please make sure Johnny-Hyung won’t pass out the next time he tries to stand up?” Dongyoung scoffed but continued his examination. 

“He should be completely fine in a couple of days. It’s only a bruise and a cut with no concussion as far as I can tell. Now tell me what the hell happened.”

“I only know the bare minimum. Hyung?” Johnny took a deep breath before attempting to sit up. Dongyoung’s gentle hand stopped him. He shook his head. 

“Don’t.” 

Johnny sighed. “It’s still kinda fuzzy. I remember there being a guy at the door and I didn’t recognize him so I told Ten to go to the back bedroom. I had barely opened the door when he kicked it in. We fought for a few minutes breaking a bunch of shit before he hit me in the head with the butt of his gun. It knocked me out but before I was completely out I could hear Ten screaming my name.” Tears tracked down Johnny’s face. 

“We have to find him,” Dongyoung said. He turned strangely vulnerable eyes to Taeyong. “You’re going to find him, right?” 

“Of course.” Taeyong always figured Dongyoung cared more than he let on, his barbed nature defense against getting hurt. “We should probably stay somewhere else too. This apartment had obviously been compromised. We can stay in my office until we find a place.” 

“I’ll see if Yuta-Hyung would be willing to let you stay at his place. I’m sure he’d relish the opportunity to stay with Sicheng.” Dongyoung said. Taeyong chewed on his lip, staring into the carpet. “What is it?” 

“Nothing, it’s just—” Taeyong broke off with a sigh. 

“Just what?” Johnny prompted. 

“It’s just—What’s our window here? How long does Ten have?” Taeyong wondered aloud. 

“I don’t know but there’s one thing to be grateful for,” Dongyoung said bitterly. 

“And what’s that?” Johnny asked, equally bitter. 

“We’ll know when he’s dead. The people who did this want to send a message, otherwise, they wouldn’t have taken him from here when he was with Johnny-Hyung.” A chill ran down Taeyong’s spine and a deafening silence sank over the room. Dongyoung was right of course. They would display Ten like a trophy because this was personal. This was an attack on Taeyong. The only reason anyone in the community would go after Ten would be to get back at Taeyong. Otherwise, other people liked Ten too much. 

Taeyong stood up abruptly, tears stinging at his eyes. “I’m going to go get clothes together.” 

Guilt weighed on Taeyong’s shoulders like boulders. Ten wouldn’t be in this mess if it wasn’t for Taeyong. He had nothing to do with Taeyong’s business. He was an innocent dance teacher. He’d done nothing wrong and Taeyong doubted Ten would ever do anything bad. He pushed back tears threatening to fall because Johnny needed him. So did Ten. He couldn’t afford to lose it. 

He didn’t notice his feet getting tangled in the clothing on the ground until he was falling to his knees. He fell with a thud and groan. He curled his nose in distaste as he looked to figure out what made him fall because after everything the last thing he needed was bruised knees. 

The floodgates opened as he looked down to see Ten’s favorite pink hoodie staring back at him. 

Taeyong clutched the remnant of Ten close to him, burying his face in the soft material as he sobbed. The smell of Ten’s citrusy shampoo that clung to the hoodie only made Taeyong sob harder. 

He wasn’t sure how long he sat there crying before Johnny’s arms wrapped around him. He turned into his arms and buried his face into Johnny’s chest as he sobbed. Johnny pulled him closer and pressed a kiss to the top of his head. “We’ll find him, Taeyong. I promise.” 

Taeyong nodded, sobs still racking his body, making his slim shoulders shake. Johnny pulled him closer. 

**\- - -**

The world was black to Ten. The rough material of a bag scratched at his bare shoulders. Dried blood cracked on his face and itched. The echoing of water dripping led Ten to believe he was in some kind large room but the roar of cars above him made it difficult to determine. 

Cold metal chains bruised his wrists and the smallest movement made them rattle. 

Rats squeaked around him. Ten flinched as one crawled over his bare feet. As far as he could tell, Ten was wearing nothing but shorts. 

Every movement sent fire through his strained shoulders. They’d been held above his head for an extended period of time but otherwise, Ten had no way of knowing how long he’d been out. 

All of this, he took in within a few moments just the way Taeyong taught him. 

Taeyong. _Shit, he and Johnny-Hyung are going to worried sick. Fuck, I’m in some serious crap this time, aren’t I?_

Just as he had resigned to the total darkness, the bag was ripped violently from his head. Ten’s vision starbursts as the bright lights took his vision from him. When he could see again, he noticed the figure leaned against the wall in front of him. The bright lights kept his face in shadow but Ten can see enough to know it’s the same man who kidnapped him. 

Ten eyed him cautiously, waiting for his move. The man tutted with clicks of his tongue. “You really should be careful who you look at like that, Ten,” his deep voice warned mockingly. “Some people might think it was an invitation.” 

“Fuck off,” Ten spat. In hindsight, probably not his smartest decision but the guy had barely opened his mouth and he managed to piss Ten off. Though the fact that he was chained up and his head hurt really wasn’t helping his filter. 

“Aw, come on, little Tennie, play nice,” the man said. Ten spat at his feet, a permanent snarl etched into his face. The man walked forward and Ten got a good look at his face. That’s when Ten realized that he was going to die. This man let him see his face and he had no intention of letting Ten go. 

Harsh fingers gripped his jaw, forcing his head up. He looked into the cold eyes of his kidnapper and saw nothing but malice and twisted amusement. “I _said,_ play nice. I really would hate to punish you.” _Liar._ “But if you’re good, maybe I’ll kill you quickly.” 

“Go to fucking hell,” Ten growled. The man sighed as though he was genuinely sad that Ten decided to be rude. 

“Fine, I guess we’ll just have to teach you a lesson, huh?” The man grinned, showing of pointed canines in a perverted version of a smile. 

He dropped Ten’s jaw and circled him. He dragged the tips of his fingers across Ten’s back before pressing painfully into Ten’s strained shoulders. Ten hissed in pain. He gritted his teeth, refusing to give the bastard the satisfaction of a scream. 

Ten fixed a menacing glare at the man when he was back in his line of sight. A smug smirk sat on the man’s face. 

“Oh, we’re going to have so much fun, Ten,” the man purred. Ten grit his teeth and curled his nose as his hand traveled lower and lower. 

“Fuck you,” Ten growled. The man’s fingers dipped into the waistband of the shorts Ten was wearing and a stab of fear ran through Ten. 

“Here’s the rules. You don’t speak unless asked a direct question, and you will answer that question. Screams are welcomed and encouraged, otherwise, you’re going to sit there and take what I give you like a pretty little _doll._ Understand, little Tennie?” Ten glared and said nothing. 

A sudden sharp sting nearly pulled a cry from him. Despite the wound being superficial, Ten could feel the blood rolling down his arm. 

“I really would like for you to understand that this is pure pleasure for me. The order was for you to be kidnapped, killed, then dumped somewhere public. But you see, I’ve got this thing against Taeyong. It’s real personal so I’m not going to go into the gory details, but the point is, I wanted to have fun with you before I dump you because I’m sure finding your body tortured and mangled will just kill Taeyong. So, how about you answer my questions, hm?” He pointed the bloody blade at Ten’s throat but Ten only continued to glare, refusing to say anything. He chuckled. “Oh, I’m going to have so much fun with you.”

**\- - -**

“Yuta-ssi, it’s been _three_ fucking days and there’s no sign of him. No ransom, no notes, nothing! How the hell are we supposed to find him if he gives us nothing?” Taeyong ranted as he paced his office. 

“Boss, we’ll find him. Have you called S. Coups-ssi? He might have some ideas,” Yuta suggested. 

Taeyong sighed. “It can’t hurt.” 

Taeyong dialed the number and tapped his fingers as he waited for Seungcheol to pick up. 

“Hello, long time no see, Taeyong-ssi,” Seungcheol greeted. 

“Hi, Seungcheol-ssi. No time for pleasantries. I need a favor.” 

“Sure. We owe NCT more than one favor. What do you need?” 

Taeyong sat down on his desk, watching as Yuta plopped into one of the chairs in the room. “Ten was kidnapped three days ago. You heard anything through the grapevine?”

“Can’t say that I have. There are several groups who are against you but none stupid enough to have the boyfriend of Lee fucking Taeyong kidnapped. Honestly, who the hell has the balls to pull that off?”

Taeyong sighed heavily. “I’ve been asking myself the same question. We aren’t sure where to start looking. Seventeen is the best at acquiring information, I could really use the help.”

“Of course, I’ll get men on it right away. BigBang and Got7 would likely be good places to start. They know all the hitmen in Seoul since they’re mostly in their employment.” Seongcheol and Taeyong chuckled. 

“Thank you, Seungcheol-ssi.”

“Of course, NCT has saved Seventeen’s ass more times than I care to remember.” 

“Let me know when you have something.” 

“Of course.” Taeyong hung up and turned to Yuta. 

“He better find something because I have no more ideas.” Admitting weakness of any sort should’ve made Taeyong nervous but this was Yuta, one of his closest friends, and his trusted confidant. He was likely one of the few people in the world that Taeyong truly trusted. 

“We’ll figure this out. We’ll find him,” Yuta assured Taeyong. Every fiber of his being wanted to believe Yuta, but Taeyong couldn’t shake the sinking feeling that they were quickly running out of time. Before he could respond, his phone buzzed in his pocket. 

_Meet me at the cafe by your work. I want an update._ Of course, it’s Johnny. For a second, Taeyong had hoped that it was Ten. But that would be stupid since Taeyong had Ten’s phone. He’s quick to reply to Johnny. 

_Too dangerous. Come to my work._

Johnny sent an okay emoji and Taeyong sighed. Yuta raised an eyebrow. 

“Johnny-Hyung?” Taeyong nodded. “Did he find anything?” 

“No, he was asking for an update. It’s a little bit of wishful thinking to expect anything from the police force, now isn’t it?” Taeyong laughed bitterly. 

Yuta sighed while Taeyong fought the urge to rip his hair from his scalp. The red strands hung in front of his eyes and Taeyong couldn’t help but think of Ten. It had been him to suggest that Taeyong dye it red, to begin with, saying it’d look hot as fuck. Unfortunately, it now only served to remind him of the one he’d lost. 

“Hey, Boss?” Sicheng asked from the doorway. Taeyong swung his head to look at him, raising an eyebrow as a signal to continue. “Johnny-ssi is here to see you.” 

“Wonderful. Send him in. Thanks, Sicheng-ssi.” Taeyong smiled. He did like Sicheng. It was hard not to. While Taeyong tended to like most of his employees, Sicheng had gained a soft spot in his heart with his sweet nature. He’s also one of the only ones who didn’t have a stick up their ass with him. 

Yuta slipped out with Sicheng and Taeyong could hear him bothering his boyfriend from inside his office. Johnny walked in with an exhausted expression. 

“Hey, Hyung.” 

“Hi, Yong,” Johnny greeted with a tired, strained smile. 

“Rough day?” Taeyong asked even though he already knew the answer. 

“It always is with Ten missing.”

“Every day feels a thousand times longer without him here. I miss him, Hyung. I never realized how much he used to cheer me up at the end of the day.” 

Johnny nodded in understanding. “Have you slept?” 

“No.” Taeyong looked down at the desk. “I’m only going to see things I don’t want to see.”

“Yeah. I’m scared, Yong. What if we can’t find him?” Taeyong walked up to Johnny and wrapped his arms around him, burying his face into Johnny’s shoulder. 

“I’m scared too but we have to keep hoping. He isn’t out of reach until we find him. . .” Taeyong trailed off, unable to finish the thought. “. . . Y’know.” 

“Yeah.” Johnny pulled Taeyong closer and finally, Taeyong feels safe for the first time since Ten went missing. WIth Johnny here, he could protect him. He could make sure nothing happened to him. Taeyong only wished he could say the same for Ten. 

**\- - -**

Ten’s sense of time was skewed but it had to have been days. He’d been down in the tunnels too long for it not to have been. The pain made his head spin and his thoughts scatter in the wind. Keeping track of the time was impossible. The man had come in to give him food and water (both of which Ten had refused) only once so Ten truly couldn’t be certain of how much time had passed. 

His shoulders ached. Cuts stung. Bruises throbbed. Ten was certain his arm was broken and his ribs possibly bruised. His body screamed in protest at any movement. He was so close to breaking. To giving in and giving the bastard exactly what he wanted. 

Any hope Ten had had of escape went down the drain a while ago. For one, there was only one entrance and exit to the room, and Ten didn’t doubt that the bastard was nearby. Another was that Ten was suspended with only the balls of his feet touching the floor. No way for him to get leverage and pull his hands free. Of course, he could possibly break his thumbs and slip his hands through the chains but Ten couldn’t be sure that it would even work so that plan was put on the backburner. 

Ten flinched as the door swung open. The man walked in with a tray of food and a bottle of water. “I brought food and water. Can’t have you dying too early now can I? Will you actually take it this time, or are you going to be a little bitch?” 

Ten glared at him. “You’re a fucking psychopath.” Any venom the statement should’ve carried was lost in the raspy and broken quality of his voice. 

“Actually, I believe I qualify more as a sociopath,” he mused. He set the tray down on the small table just out of Ten’s reach. 

The snap of the water bottle’s seal echoed through the room. Ten’s mouth watered at the prospect of food and water. The water should be okay, shouldn’t it? He’d heard the seal crack so it should be okay. Right?

Before Ten had time to contemplate it further, the man held the bottle up to his lips. Before Ten knew it, he’d drained the entire bottle. However, when the man held food up to his mouth, Ten clamped his jaw shut. He prodded for a minute before dropping the food back to the tray. 

“Fine then. Starve, see if I care,” he scoffed. He walked away, taking the tray with him. 

Hope fluttered in Ten’s chest that he’d get more time before the next session. That hope died when the man walked back toward him with a sharp knife in his hand. 

It took three cuts for a tear to slide down Ten’s cheek. The first tear he had shed since being kidnapped. The first of many to come. 

He clamped his jaw shut, holding back the screams that threatened to leave him. He refused to give the bastard what he wanted. He refused to play into his sick and twisted game. 

The first crack of the whip made Ten hiss. The second made him dig his nails into his palms. The third ripped a scream from his lips as it ripped across his skin. 

Ten panted as the attack stopped. The man came around and tilted Ten’s head up to look him in the eye. A smug smirk painted itself across his face. “Thank you, doll, you’ve given me exactly what I wanted.” 

**\- - -**

Taeyong yanked at his hair. He ground his teeth together, trying in vain to think of another lead to follow. It dimly occurred to him that he was in the sitting area of his business and not his office. An employee seeing him this week could pose a problem. 

However, Taeyong couldn’t find it in himself to care. Ten had been missing for five days. Five days of likely pain and suffering. 

The thought that it was his fault weighed heavily on Taeyong’s mind. 

“Sir?” Sicheng questioned. Taeyong jumped, not having heard him walk up. “Are you alright?” 

“Was there something you needed, Sicheng-ssi?” Taeyong didn’t mean to be cold, he truly didn’t, but discussing Ten would only serve to drive Taeyong insane. 

“Oh, yes. I was sent to tell you that S. Coups-ssi is here. Should I send him up?” 

Taeyong jumped to his feet. With luck, Seungcheol would have news. He likely wouldn’t have come in person if he didn’t. “Yes, send him up. Thank you, Sicheng-ssi.” 

Taeyong entered his office and collapsed in his chair. He thanked his past self for giving him a comfortable chair. Taeyong had been spending too much time in it recently. 

“Hello, Taeyong-ssi,” Seungcheol greeted with an easy smile as he walked in. Taeyong sat up straighter and gestured for Seungcheol to sit in one of the chairs in front of his desk. 

“As much as I enjoy the pleasantries, let’s get to business, shall we?” 

“Of course.” Seungcheol’s smile dropped. “I won’t lie, it’s not great.” 

Taeyong gripped the desk harder. His mind raced at a million miles an hour. He had so many questions. Had they found Ten? Do they know who’s responsible? Is Ten even alive? Taeyong bit these down and waited for what Seungcheol had to say. 

“Do you want the kind of good news or the bad news first?”

“The bad.” 

“The Reaper is the one who took Ten.” Taeyong sucked in a sharp breath. That was bad. Very, very bad. Every hope Taeyong had of Ten being alive was crushed in reality’s agonizing grip. Seungcheol placed a gentle hand over Taeyong’s shaking ones. 

“Who the hell is The Reaper?” Johnny asked. He walked through Taeyong’s office door with a bag of takeout in his hand. He set it down on the edge of Taeyong’s desk and crossed his arms. 

“What are you doing here, Hyung?” Taeyong asked. 

“I took an early lunch and figured we could eat together. Now answer my question. Who the hell is The Reaper?” 

“The most psychotic assassin to ever walk the streets of Seoul,” Seungcheol answered. Johnny paled and dropped down into the nearest chair. He set his elbows on his knees and gripped his hands together. 

“And this is the bastard that has Ten?” Seuncheol nodded. Johnny’s shoulders tighten and he breathed in a deep breath. “Who hired him?”

“I don’t know,” Seungcheol admitted. Taeyong sighed heavily and hung his head. His list of enemies was too long for him to be able to narrow it down. Any one of them could have hired The Reaper. “I heard most of this through grapevine and honestly, I don’t know how reputable the source is. But it’s the best lead we have. And I have some kind of good news.” 

“I could use some good news right about now,” Johnny said. His eyes were more tired than Taeyong had ever seen them. 

“We have two days to find Ten. The deadline is Sunday.”

“How the fuck is that good news?” Taeyong exploded. He leaped to his feet and slammed his hands down on the desk, his eyes filled with disbelief and rage. With such a glare directed at him, Seungcheol leaned back in his chair and Johnny looked at Taeyong as though seeing him in a new light. 

Which likely wasn’t far from the truth. Taeyong was mild-tempered most of the time and his patience level was higher than most people in his position, but he was at his wit’s end. The stress of losing Ten had loosened the restraint Taeyong tried to hold himself to. 

“Because we have a lead on where Ten is, Taeyong-ssi,” Seungcheol said cautiously. Taeyong took a deep breath and settled back in his chair. His posture remained tense, his hands folded in front of him. 

“And why wasn’t this the first thing you mentioned?” 

“You told me to tell you the bad news first.” Seungcheol shrugged. Taeyong sighed. 

“I’m sorry for losing my temper. It’s been a rather stressful week.” Taeyong smiled ruefully. “What’s your lead?” 

“The Reaper is known for his overkill—” Johnny made a distressed noise and Taeyong couldn’t help but agree. He’d seen what The Reaper could do first hand. “—so he needs someplace quiet and secluded. My people have been searching all over the city. We’ve cleared every warehouse and abandoned property in Seoul.” 

“What makes you think he’s still in Seoul? If he was smart he would’ve left,” Johnny interrupted. 

“The Reaper is arrogant. Trust me, he’ll take pleasure in being right under my nose,” Taeyong said darkly. His personal history with The Reaper left him with an insight into his way of thought. Something Taeyong almost wished he didn’t have. “Continue, Seungcheol-ssi.” 

“As I was saying, we’ve searched everywhere above ground so the only place he could be would be somewhere underground.” 

“The sewers.” Taeyong groaned as the realization settled into him. The sewers of Seoul were long and many. There’s no way they could find Ten in time. 

“The sewers? So he could be literally anywhere in Seoul, great.” Johnny groaned. 

“Not true. The sewers in lower-class areas are shelters for the homeless. He needs privacy, which means he has to be in the upper or middle-class sewer system.” Taeyong opened his mouth to point out how that’s still a massive area to search but Seungcheol holds up his hand. “The city is undergoing a massive project to repair the sewers. The only area not under renovation is Gangnam.” 

“Fuck, you’re kidding. He’s been right under our nose the entire time?” Johnny cursed. 

“Correct. I haven’t decided if he’s brilliant or stupid,” Seungcheol confirmed. 

“I’d say stupid if you’re right about this,” Taeyong scoffed.

“But we’d never have found him if the system wasn’t being redone.” 

“Are we seriously arguing about whether the bastard who took Ten is clever or not?” Johnny cut in, an exasperated expression on his face. “What’s being done to find him right now?” 

“Agreed. Do you have people searching?” Taeyong asked. 

“Yeah, searching the sewers wasn’t on anybody’s bucket list but they did without much complaint. Ten managed to charm the socks off nearly every faction at the gala last year.”

“Good. I’ll get a team together to help. We may have narrowed it down, but Gangnam District is still huge. We’ll have to get lucky.” 

“My people have been searching for the better half of the day. We’ve covered three-quarters of it so far. Sending your people might be unnecessary.” Seungcheol paused as his phone began ringing. He raised an eyebrow as he looked at the caller ID. “Sorry, I need to take this. Wonwoo might have something.” 

Seungcheol stepped out of the room and Taeyong stood up to kneel next to Johnny. He rested his head against Johnny’s arm. Johnny’s voice was quiet, barely above a raspy whisper when he asked, “What if we don’t find him? Yong, what if we’re too late?” 

“We can’t think like that, Hyung. We’ll find him. We have to.” Taeyong could hear Seungcheol talking through his office door. His tone was rushed and nearly panicked but Taeyong couldn’t make out any of the words. He sighed. Ten should’ve been curled up in his arms while they watched some drama that neither could care less about. They should be laughing at the coffee shop where they met, talking about the ridiculous names the staff gave the food and drinks. They should be at home with Ten rambling on about his students and dance and Taeyong not understanding a word but nodding along just to hear Ten’s voice. 

Instead, he was in the hands of a psychopath because Taeyong was a horrible boyfriend and protector. He promised he’d keep Ten safe. He told him that when Ten figured out who he was. He said his work would never put him in danger. Taeyong lied and now he might pay with Ten’s life. 

Seungcheol burst through the door with a grin on his face. “Wonwoo found him. Get a team together.”

**\- - -**

Ten spit the blood pooling in his mouth at the feet of his captor. He barely had the energy but he had all the rage. He sagged forward, putting even more strain on his shoulder but Ten couldn’t find it in himself to care. It was all he could do not to pass out. As it was, black spots swam in front of Ten’s eyes. 

“Do you know who I am?” the man asked, sick curiosity lacing his voice. Ten barely found the strength to glare at him. 

“The son of Satan?” Ten suggested. He had no idea who he was and he wasn’t sure why the bastard thought he would have any idea. 

He frowned. “Surely, Taeyong must’ve mentioned me. I was his first boyfriend after all.”

Ten sucked in a breath. Yeah, Taeyong had mentioned him before. The bastard tried to rape Taeyong when he was sixteen. He cheated on him multiple times and was a possessive freak. But he never said his name. 

The man circled him and dragged the flat of the blade down Ten’s spine. A chill ran down his spine following the path of the blade.

“You’re the possessive freak who tried to rape Taeyong,” Ten spat. Learning the partial identity of the figure ignited a fire in his veins. 

“Is that what he told you?” The man tutted. “He wanted it. I could see it in his eyes. And really, doll, I was looking for a name.” 

Ten wailed as he sliced a gash on the outside of his thigh. The man tilted Ten’s head with the bloody tip of the blade. Ten glared at him with the rest of his strength. “He never told me a name.” 

“Hm. How unfortunate. Well, you may simply know me as The Reaper.” Ten hadn’t heard of that name either but it had to be a bad thing if the bastard was so damn proud of it. “It really is a shame I have to kill you. You’re such a pretty little thing.” 

Ten shuddered. The thought of someone like The Reaper finding him attractive sent chills down his spine. He stepped back and examined Ten with a terrifyingly lustful look in his eyes. 

“I wonder how good you are with your mouth.” If Ten had received such a look from either of his boyfriends he’d have been on his knees in a heartbeat. As it stood, coming from The Reaper, it made dread pool in his stomach. Ten became acutely aware of the fact that he was in nothing but flimsy shorts and with his arms above his head, he’d never be able to fight The Reaper off.

“Of course, in the past, I’m sure you had to be to attract any clients.” Ten paled. There shouldn’t have been a way for him to know about that. Johnny, Taeyong, and people he’d serviced were the only ones who’d be able to know about that, and Ten was certain he’d never been with this man. If the smug look was anything to go by, The Reaper had noticed his shock. “Oh yes, doll, I know all about your past. How someone like Taeyong could ever like someone like _you,_ will always be a mystery. Of course, anyone would be a step down from me but that’s to be expected.”

A quick cut to his arm made Ten cry out. The Reaper sighed as though savoring something sweet. “Your screams are music to my ears, doll.”

This continued for a few minutes. Quick shallow cuts pulling screams from Ten’s lips. Finally, he stepped back. Ten breathed heavily as tears fell from his eyes. Sobs forced his aching shoulders to shake painfully. 

“Your deadline is coming up pretty soon, little Tennie. Do you think your precious Taeyong is going to make it?” 

Another sob fell from Ten’s lips. All he could do at that point was pray. Pray to wake up in Johnny’s arms. Pray he got to hear Taeyong’s voice one more time, taste his cooking one more time. He’d never complain about anything, never take it for granted. He only wanted one more time. 

Another scream breaks into a sob as the blade cut into his hip. Ten fell limp when the blade pulled away, his breathing ragged. 

“Do you think he’ll come?” he asked again. The question was only another way to torture Ten. A way to make him break. To force him past the point of insanity. To rip the only hope Ten had from him. 

The blade was back under his chin, pushing his head up. “Answer my question, doll.”

“I don’t know,” Ten screamed as the blade sliced shallowly across his chest. 

“But I bet you hope he will,” he mused. “Personally, I don’t think he’s going to make it. I think, when he finds you, it’ll be when I dump your mangled body in a dumpster near his work. I’ll bet, he’ll sob just like you are, ripped to pieces inside.” The Reaper’s eyes were alight with a malice Ten had never seen from another person. “Or maybe, he’ll just move on to the next _whore._ A new slut who’ll spread their legs for him like you do. I doubt you actually mean anything to him, just a fuckbuddy he’d kill in a heartbeat if it meant protecting himself.”

The words constrict Ten’s airways, pulling at every insecurity he’d ever had about his relationship. The Reaper picked out the hope barely fluttering in his chest and crushed it. Because The Reaper was right, Taeyong wasn’t going to show up in time. 

**\- - -**

The back of the van was tense with anticipation. Johnny looked at the men and women surrounding him. He was putting Ten’s life in the hands of people he didn’t know. At least Yuta and Lucas were there. In a pinch, at the very least Johnny could trust them. Though, seeing as these people were handpicked by Taeyong, Johnny figured they could be trusted. 

He met Taeyong’s eyes. The emotions clouding the usual warmth were hard to detect. The only one he could pick out was rage and bloodlust. An emotion he’d never seen on Taeyong. Though, it was understandable. He may be a police officer, but he wasn’t going to stop Taeyong if he decided he wanted to put a bullet in him. 

No one spoke until the van rolled to a stop. Taeyong stood and faced the group with a grim expression. “First and foremost, this is a rescue mission. Ten is the one that matters here. Let me handle The Reaper.”

Everyone nodded and Taeyong hopped out of the van. A dark-haired man greeted them. 

“You must be Taeyong-ssi,” he greeted with a deep voice. “I’m Wonwoo.”

“You found Ten.” Wonwoo nodded. 

“I don’t have an exact location but he’s within the tunnel below us. I didn’t want to get too close, couldn’t risk letting The Reaper know we’re onto him.”

“Of course. Thank you, Wonwoo.” 

“Good luck. Put this sick son of a bitch down. He killed my best friend and he deserves to pay for it.” Taeyong nodded before turning to the manhole. 

Yuta made quick work of pulling the cover up and shimmying down the ladder. Taeyong quickly followed. This was where the doubts started creeping into Johnny’s mind. He couldn’t help but wonder what they were walking into. They had no idea what kind of weapons he had or what he’d do once he was cornered. 

But on the flip side, this was Ten. Johnny would do anything to have his lover back in his arms, no matter how many laws he had to break in the process. 

Johnny’s boots thudded against the stone as he dropped down. 

“We’ll have to split up from here,” Taeyong said once everyone dropped down, “Johnny-Hyung, Yuta-Hyung, Lucas, Hyuna-Noona, Mark and I will go—”

A chilling scream ripped through the air, cutting Taeyong off. The hair on the back of Johnny’s neck rose. He made eye contact with Taeyong who looked as shaken as Johnny felt. Taeyong’s voice shook as he said, “New plan. We go this way.” 

The walk was slow permeated with wails and screams that Johnny can’t bare to listen to anymore. He’d never admit it, but Johnny was terrified. He’d been on plenty of sting and undercover operations and not one of them had ever scared him like this. Maybe it was because Ten’s life was on the line. If they fuck up, Ten would be dead. Nothing could ever scare as much as that thought. 

Another scream echoed down the hallway, louder and more chilling than the first. The thought of Ten screaming in pain almost had Johnny rushing to bust down the door to get to him. He was lucky that Taeyong was smarter than him. 

Finally, they approached the door where the screams originated. Inside, Johnny could hear a man’s voice, one he assumed to be The Reaper’s because it sure as hell wasn’t Ten’s, over the sobs of his boyfriend. 

Lucas pushed the door open enough to see through the crack. He knelt down and took aim. Taeyong placed a hand on his shoulder. 

“Take him down, but don’t kill him.” Lucas nodded. Time stretched on and on before the loud bang of Lucas’s gun echoed through the tunnel. Taeyong pushed into the room before The Reaper even hit the ground. 

Taeyong stalked toward The Reaper, his gun drawn. He placed his foot against the throat of the groaning man. “Hello, Jongyul. It’s been a while.”

Johnny grit his teeth and rushed toward Ten. Gently, he lifted him up, reducing the strain on his shoulders. Johnny unwrapped the chains, wincing at the deep purple bruises engraved into Ten’s skin. He lowered Ten’s arms gently until they were wrapped around his shoulders. The tears in Ten’s eyes tore at Johnny’s heart. 

“Johnny-Hyung,” Ten sobbed, his grip on Johnny’s shoulders tightening weakly. “You came.”

“Of course, sweetheart. It’s okay, I’m right here,” Johnny murmured. He shimmied out of his jacket and wrapped it around Ten’s shoulders

“Hyung,” Taeyong called. Johnny looked over to Taeyong, seeing that he had bound The Reaper’s hands and still had his foot on his throat. “Get him out of here. I’ll catch up.” 

“Don’t get caught,” Johnny said before adjusting Ten and walking out of the room. Ten hissed at every movement and Johnny’s heart broke a little more every time. 

They reached the ladder fairly quickly. It was then that Johnny realized that he wouldn’t be able to carry Ten and climb the ladder. Chewing on his bottom lip, Johnny weighed his options. 

“Tennie, I need you to hang on, okay? Can you do that?” Johnny asked. Ten nodded and his grip got tighter. 

The climb seemed to last a lifetime. The work was slowgoing and Johnny’s arms burned by the time he reached the top. He set Ten down on the edge of the hole before hoisting himself out. 

Ten looked like a character out of a horror movie in the fading daylight. His cheek was streaked with blood and bruises. Blood dripped from nearly every part of Ten’s body. But most of all his eyes looked so broken. The playful mischief was gone, replaced with a tired and despondent knock off. 

Johnny carried Ten to the van and sat down with him in his lap. Johnny wasn’t certain he’d ever be able to let Ten go again. He definitely wouldn’t be able to let him out of his sight. 

Johnny thought about how bad this could’ve gone. How lucky they got. They wouldn’t have been able to even find Ten without Seventeen’s help. They come too close to losing Ten. 

Ten was asleep by the time Taeyong got back and quite frankly, Johnny was grateful for it. He wouldn’t have wanted to see Taeyong covered in blood. Especially when Johnny wasn’t certain that it was all The Reaper’s. Like this, Taeyong looked every bit the mafia boss the city knew. 

Taeyong kneeled down in front of them, his eyes displaying a concern that contrasted with his appearance. He wiped a hand on a clean portion of his shirt before brushing his hand over Ten’s bruised and swollen cheek. “I was so scared we’d lost him.”

“Me too.” Silence spanned a few moments. “Get some sleep, Yong. I’ll wake you when we get there.” 

Taeyong nodded, sitting beside Johnny and pulling Ten’s legs over his lap. He leaned his head against Johnny’s other shoulder and was out in minutes. 

Johnny was especially glad that Ten was asleep when the other members of their team jumped into the van dragging a black bag that smelled strongly of blood. 

**\- - -**

They dropped everyone else off first, even the body bag (Johnny didn’t want to know what Taeyong did to The Reaper), before arriving at Yuta’s apartment where they’d been staying for the past week. Yuta had kindly lent them his apartment until they could find a new one. In the meantime, he was staying with his boyfriend. Which Johnny was certain Sicheng was cursing them for. 

Johnny gently shook Taeyong’s shoulder. He jumped nearly out of his seat, Ten’s legs the only thing holding him in place. “Shh, it’s okay, Yong. We’re back at the apartment.” 

“Okay.” Taeyong yawned. “We need to call Dongyoung.” 

“We need to get cleaned up first. He’ll flip his shit if he sees us like this.” Taeyong nodded in agreement. Johnny was grateful the apartment had a rarely used back entrance. He doubted going in through the lobby would be welcomed. 

Taeyong fumbled with the keys before he finally got the door opened. Johnny figured they’d track grime and blood in the apartment but he rationalized that they’d clean it up later. Johnny never thought he’d thank the horrible decision Yuta made to get a black couch but as he set Ten down, he realized that the black would at least hide what they couldn’t get out. 

Taeyong left to take a shower while Johnny sat on the floor by the couch. Johnny’s eyes slipped closed and sleep almost claimed him when a loud thud startled him awake. He rushed to the bathroom to find Taeyong on the floor, in tears, in nothing but pajama pants. All of the blood was gone, the only remnant being a small scratch on his cheek. 

Johnny pulled the shivering Taeyong into his arms. He let Taeyong sob into his chest while he fought the urge to do the same. 

They sat there for longer than Johnny cared to count. Finally, Taeyong’s sobs slowed so the slight trickle of tears. He sniffled. 

“Hyungs?” Ten’s panicked cry had Johnny and Taeyong running into the living room. Tears tracked down Ten’s face and he let out a sob of relief when he saw them. Immediately, Taeyong pulled Ten into his arms, petting his hair soothingly. 

“Shh, we’re right here, baby. We’re right here,” Taeyong murmured. Johnny placed a hand on Ten’s thigh to let him know he was there too. 

“I thought it was all a dream. That I was still stuck with that monster,” Ten hiccupped, tears still streaming down his face. 

“You’re safe now. He can’t hurt you ever again,” Johnny said, rubbing soothing circles into Ten’s skin. 

“It was one of those things he’d always ask,” Ten said. Johnny looked up at Taeyong. The confused look told him Taeyong had no idea where this was going either. Ten’s voice was cold and mocking when he said, “‘Where’s your boyfriend? Isn’t he going to save you?’, ‘I bet he doesn’t even care about you, little Tennie, he’s already moved onto the next whore’, ‘your deadline is coming up, doll, isn’t your precious Taeyong going to come save you?’” Ten’s voice broke and a sob crawled its way out of his throat. 

“He can’t hurt you or anyone else ever again,” Taeyong repeated. Ten’s sobs lessened to a slow trickle of tears. 

“Did you kill him, Hyung?” Ten asked. Johnny and Taeyong froze. 

Taeyong’s voice was guarded when he answered, “I did.”

“Good.” Ten chuckled darkly. 

They’re all quiet for a while, relishing in the fact that all of them are alive and safe. It’s Taeyong who broke this silence, declaring that they needed to get Ten cleaned up and that Johnny still smelled like a sewer. A rude comment but it pulled a giggle out of Ten so Johnny let it go. 

While Taeyong ran a bath, Johnny worked on getting the caked-on blood off. He apologized every time Ten winced, which was pretty much whenever Johnny touched him. His back was especially bad and Johnny nearly wished he could put the blood back on so he wouldn’t have to look at the gashes on Ten’s previously unmarred skin. 

“Ready?” Taeyong asked as he poked his head back in. 

“Nearly,” Johnny replied. Johnny helped Ten stand up while he pulled the blood-stained shorts off. He guided him to the bathroom and helped Ten lower himself down into the bathtub. 

Taeyong turned to leave and Ten reached out his hand trying to grab his wrist. When he missed, Johnny grabbed his wrist. Taeyong raised an eyebrow. “Ten wants you to stay.” 

Ten nodded in confirmation. A soft smile crossed Taeyong’s face and he squatted down next to the tub. “Okay.” 

The water turned pink quickly and Johnny decided it’d be easier to gently scrub the remaining blood off. They just needed Ten clean enough to sleep comfortably for the time being. 

Once they’re done, Taeyong helped Ten throw on one of Johnny’s biggest and loosest hoodie and a pair of shorts while Johnny took a quick shower. Ten laid down with his head in Taeyong’s lap with Taeyong running his fingers through his hair. 

Johnny walked out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist and using one to dry his hair. He turned to Taeyong as he was getting dressed. “Don’t you need to call Dongyoung?” 

Taeyong groaned. “He’s going to kill me.” 

“Why?” 

“We’ve been home for two hours and didn’t call him until now.” 

“Good luck with that.” Johnny winced. Taeyong sighed dramatically as Ten giggled and pulled out his phone. 

“Hey, Dongyoung,” Taeyong greeted. He put the phone on speaker hoping to get a laugh from Ten. “I need you to come to Yuta’s apartment to check Ten’s injuries.” 

“Ten? Isn’t he—OH YOU ABSOLUTE DICK!” Dongyoung screeched. “You found him and didn’t bother to tell me? What the fuck, Taeyong?” Ten barely held back his laughter. “I’ll be there in five minutes.” 

“Don’t you live ten minutes from Yuta’s apartment?” 

“I’ll be there in five minutes,” Dongyoung repeated before hanging up. Taeyong did not want to think about the number of traffic laws Dongyoung was about to violate. Ten burst into laughter a few seconds later. The sound eased the frayed nerves from the past week. 

“I’m very glad my pain amuses you, Ten.” Taeyong fake pouts. Ten giggled. 

“I’m glad to be home,” Ten murmured. 

“We’re very glad to have you home.” Johnny dropped a kiss on Ten’s temple. 

True to his word, Dongyoung arrived five minutes later. Taeyong groaned but obligingly got up to let him in. A loud thud was heard and Johnny could only assume that Dongyoung shoved Taeyong out of the way to get inside. 

“You’re a fucking idiot, Ten,” Dongyoung said as he walked in the room. 

“Thanks, I needed that after a week of torture,” Ten rasped. Dongyoung rolled his eyes. 

“Pull shit like this again, and I’ll have your head on a pike,” Dongyoung threatened. He walked over and knelt beside the bed, setting his bag down. In a quieter voice, he added, “You really had us worried, you idiot.” 

“Could you please get on with it?” Taeyong asked, rubbing his head. Dongyoung rolled his eyes but motioned for Ten to take off his hoodie. 

Dongyoung sucked in a sharp breath before getting to work. His fingers moved deftly with practiced ease, wrapping injuries, and applying antiseptics to all the open wounds. 

“Okay, there’s only two areas that need stitches but unless you’re willing to go to a hospital, then I don’t have anything to numb it.” 

Ten sucked in a sharp breath. “Where?” 

“One on your back and this one.” Dongyoung pointed to a nasty gash on Ten’s thigh. 

“Can you do the stitches?” Ten asked. Dongyoung looked at him cautiously but nodded. “Then do it. I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure? This is gonna hurt like hell,” Taeyong warned. Ten nodded. 

“Okay then.” Dongyoung had them move into positions so he could work. Ten ended up on Taeyong’s lap with his leg sticking out. Johnny sat on his leg, bracing his hands on either side of his knee. 

Ten screamed into Taeyong’s shoulder when the needle entered his leg. Eventually, he faded out, and sooner than he expected, they were done. Dongyoung went over all of the ways he needed to take care of the stitches. 

“I’m worried about your shoulders but I’m going to check on those tomorrow. You need rest. Stay safe. I’ll see you tomorrow.” With that, Dongyoung left. Taeyong locked the door behind him before returning to his boyfriends. 

Within a few minutes, they fell asleep with Ten between them, the safest place he could be. 


End file.
